Realization
by Nadeshiko-Nara
Summary: As Sasuke lies on his death bed, he thinks about things he could've done differently. Sasuke's POV. SasuSaku. Now a twoshot. Rated T to be safe. Summary sucks, please read.
1. Realization

**A/N: Hello. This is my first SasuSaku fic because I'm usually a die hard ShikaTema but this pairing is just so good! Also, this isn't my usual style. So, please give me feed back! Sorry I updated this again, but I made a few grammatical and spelling errors so I wanted to get the proofed one up.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

"Does it hurt little brother?" Itachi asks as he steps on my chest and throws another Kunai at my neck.

"No." I lie.

Technically it's not a lie, though. It does hurt in comparison to what I've done. It's weird, from the moment Itachi first had me cornered, everything's become crystal clear.

_Should have._

_Could have._

_Would have._

Those words describe every feeling I'm getting now.

I _should_ have realized how much I was hurting Naruto.

I _could_ have gained power without running away at all.

I _would_ have loved Sakura.

_Sakura._

She keeps coming back into my thoughts. Every time she hugged me, talked to me, confessed her love to me, I could've given in. I should've said something nicer. I would've, but I can't now.

I've missed so many opportunities. If I would've just opened my eyes earlier, I would've noticed that she's everything I've always wanted: benign, loyal, trustworthy.

Itachi's face swims back into my view.

"Even after all of these years, you're still so weak. You're not even worth my effort." Itachi mocks as he tosses a few more Shuriken and walks off.

"Come one Kisame. This is pointless." He says as he hops into the surrounding trees.

I try to talk but nothing comes out. I cough and I feel the blood trickle down my chin.

I try to lift my arm but that doesn't work, either.

I close my eyes and think back. When did I go wrong? When was the best time to tell Sakura I love her?

Was it when Tsunade woke me up after Itachi came to get Naruto? She hugged me so tightly and cried. She was just happy that I was alright. I could've taken her into my arms and whispered that I was going to be alright until she stopped crying. I should've told her that I was okay now and that next time I wouldn't let Itachi hurt me that badly if it made her sad. I would've, but I can't now.

_Unconditional._

Was it when I left that night? She pleaded me not to leave. She confessed her love to me, yet again, but it was different that time. That time it was so heartfelt and pure. It would've been the perfect time for our first kiss. I could've kissed her cheek and told her that I'd come back for her. I should've wrapped my arms around her waist and kiss her to let her know that I'd think of her forever. I would've, but I can't now.

_Untainted._

Was it when she came into Orochimaru's lair? She was so awestruck. All she could say was my name. How did I repay her? By trying to kill her team mates. I was so stupid. She looked so beautiful. I could've told her that she's grown so much more beautiful. I should've told her that she captured my heart with her bright smile and large eyes. I would've, but I can't now.

_Mesmerized._

I try to remember her face. Pink hair, green eyes, soft lips. Her forehead is too big, but it's endearing. Her voice is high but not grating. Her laugh's like bells being rung. I would give anything just to see her again, hear her say my name one last time.

Too bad I have nothing to give, my life's almost gone.

I think I shed a tear, but I don't know because I'm loosing feeling.

"Sakura! He's over here and badly injured!" a voice yells. I've heard it before.

It's not the harsh voice of Orochimaru or the mocking voice Itachi. It's a fatherly voice.

I open my eyes all I can, mere slits. I see silver hair, lots of silver hair.

_Kakashi._

"Sensei?" I choke out. It's a measly sound but he hears.

"He's still breathing!" He says loudly. I hear feet hitting the ground around me. His face slides out of view.

I whimper.

I can't be dying now. Help is here.

"It's alright, Sasuke-kun. Can you hear my voice? Blink if you can." Says a soft, kind voice. I blink slowly. When I open my eyes again, pink hair clouds my vision.

Loss of blood must be making me delusional.

"Great job Sasuke-kun. This might hurt but it's going to feel a whole lot better when it's done. 'Kay?" She says like she's done it a million times.

I whimper again.

I want to reach up and trace her perfect lips.

I want to pull her into my arms and never let go.

I feel a tugging sensation in my chest. I gasp, but I can already breathe easier. She continues to heal my wounds.

"Okay. It looks like your throat is badly damaged. Can you talk?" she asks.

"Sakura…" I say.

"Awesome! Just keep listening to my voice, Sasuke-kun." She says as she lifts up her hands.

"Sakura, I…" I try to say.

"One minute and you can talk. You'll do that for me, right?" She asks.

I blink my eyes slowly, again, and she nods.

I see a green light coming off of her hands. My throat feels better and I'm already getting feeling back into my hands.

Sakura pauses and gives a big smile.

"Sakura, I lo…" I start to say.

"What was that Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asks as she leans her head a little closer to mine. She's beaming like her world has come alive.

I lift up a hand and put it one her cheek.

"I love…" I say again before I cough. I don't need to continue. She's gotten the message.

I see tears rim her eyes.

"That's just the blood loss talking. Let's get you back to Konoha." She says as she puts my hand down and averts my gaze.

"No, I really do love y…" I say before cough rocks my body.

"Shhh. It's not good to be talking in your condition." She says as she purses her lips in annoyance. She digs around in her Shuriken pouch and gets some gauze.

I take a big breath and start again.

"No, I really do love you. All I could think about when I was lying there was you." I say as my voice fades out.

I can see the pain in her eyes. She thinks I'm toying with her.

"Tell me that 5 days from now when you're not about to die and I might believe you." She says as she finishes wrapping gauze around some of my worse wounds.

"Kakashi, you can carry him back." She says as she stands up and hops into the tree.

"Sakura…" I say before blood loss finally wins and everything turns black.

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Tell me what you thought, just please no flames! I might make this into a two shot just to follow up on what happens between them.**


	2. Repeated

**A/N: Thanks for the wonderful feed back!! I've decided to make it into a twoshot, so here's the ending! I hope it's cohesive with the previous chapter! Here you go!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

I blink away the drowsiness that has been pulling at me all day.

"You're awake, Teme!" a voice screams at me.

"Naruto, stop it. The meds I have him on make him extremely sensitive to noise." Says a voice.

"Ah, Baa-chan, you take all my fun away!" Naruto screams. I open my eyes and focus them on Naruto.

"I can't believe you're finally back!" Naruto says happily.

"Where's Sakura?" I ask.

"What? No hello?" Naruto asks hurt.

"Hey Dobe. I think you might've grown louder since the last time I saw you. Now, can you please tell me where Sakura is?" I ask.

"Sakura went home. She's been treating your wounds for the past three days, but at the first sign of you waking up she went home. Why is that Sasuke?" Tsunade says.

"I don't know." I sigh.

"It doesn't matter. We have some business to take care of." Tsunade says as she closes the door and the blinds.

* * *

"Sakura," I say as I knock on her door again, "Sakura, I know you're in there. Tsunade told me that you would be." 

I hear muttered curses and the unlocking of a door.

"Yes, Sasuke." She says.

Her eyes hold no emotion towards me.

"Sakura." I say quietly.

"What do you want?" she says.

"I wanted to come see you." I say back as I lift a hand up to her cheek.

She bats it away. I lower it by my side again.

"So are you staying?" Sakura asks softly.

"Ya," I say brightly, "but on two conditions. First is that I can go on missions, like taking down Akatsuki members, as long as I'm with Kakashi. The other thing is that I have to restart the Uchiha clan, which, I mean, I've wanted to do all along and--" I start to say before Sakura cuts me off.

"Why'd you come here Sasuke?" She asks bluntly.

"Let's take a walk. I want to go see Konoha again." I say.

She sighs and closes her door.

"Fine." She mumbles.

We walk in silence in the scenic route of the Village.

"Why did you come?" She asks again.

"Because I wanted to tell you how I feel, again. Why don't you believe me?" I ask. I look up and notice where my feet have taken us, to the old stone bench on the way out of Konoha.

"Because, only after you nearly die, you decide to return my feelings." Sakura says. I stop walking and she turns around to face me.

"I'm stupid, Sakura," I say as I look into her deep, green eyes, "I had love in Konoha, and I left it behind. I'm stupid and useless."

"You're not useless Sasuke. You're powerful and the lone survivor of a great clan. But you are stupid for leaving. Do you know how much you broke my heart when you left that night? I gave you my heart and all you could say was 'Sakura...Thank you, for everything'. And, even after all of these years, I'm not ready to love you again." Sakura says as tears well up into her eyes.

"I'm sorry Sakura." Is all I can say as I take her into my arms.

We stay like that for a while, she crying her heart out and I yearning for her to accept my apology and love me again.

"Sakura, I know I left you here all those years ago. But I'm begging you not to leave me.

"I told you solitude is a painful thing, Sakura, and it is. I'm alone, Sakura. And if you leave me, it would be the same thing for me as dieing. I know I said that we have different paths, but sometimes, different paths meet, don't they?

"If you would only be with me, I promise I'll never let you regret it; everyday will be a joy. I can give you happiness. I'll do anything for you Sakura. So please, I'm begging you! Don't walk away! You can help me get my revenge. So please, don't leave me here alone Sakura!" I say as I almost cry.

"I said almost those exact words that night." Sakura says sadly, almost like a sigh.

"I know. I've heard them in my head every night before I go to bed." I say.

"I'm glad you still have feelings for me." Sakura says quietly.

"You sit here, debating whether you love me or not, and all I want to know is whether you want my mother's ring or a brand new one." I ask with a sad smile.

"You still think I love you, don't you?! You don't think that I might've realized what a jerk you are? The pain that I felt when you were gone was so intense that I could barely breathe sometimes! Then you come back and act like you've never left! It hurts me, Sasuke, so much that I can barely stand it. But you know what? I want your mother's." She says, as she cries.

I smile and take her into my arms.

"Sakura, thank you." I say as I hug her.

"I love you Sasuke." She says.

"I love you too." I tell her as I kiss her.

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Tell me what I can do to make it better! The part where Sasuke confesses his love for Sakura took me forever to get right. I had to find the episode where she says that on my TiVo (I have every dubbed episode on there, minus the Zabuza Arc) and then I had to listen to it like a thousand times. So are the fruits of my labor worth it??**


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